Magazine conversion unit



Mamh 1 J. L. BOUDREAU 239mm MAGAZINE CON VERSION UNIT Filed Aug. 1, 1944 Patented Mar. 19, 1946 STA UNITED OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to cartridge magazines for firearms, and relates more particularly to a special adapter for use in connection with magazines to permit the magazine to hold, and the gun to fire, cartridges of lesser firing power, though of the same caliber, than the gun is normally adapted for.

The invention has particular reference to automatic pistols, particularly of the .22 caliber variety. Pistols of this character are highly favored for target practice, since they have an excellent balance, are relatively accurate, and furnish the requisite pleasure and practice desired in target work. The magazines of these pistols are designed, however, for use with .22 long rifle cartridges, and no means have hitherto been provided to permit the use of .22 short cartridges and still enable the user to enjoy the advantages of automatic operation. That is to say, if a magazine for one of such pistols is filled with .22 short cartridges, the forwardly-moving slide which carries the cartridge into the chamber always tends to deflect the cartridge sidewise. Even if the cartridges are fed into the chamber" one at a time, the recoil from such cartridges is not sumcient to move the automatic slide rearwardly a sufficient distance to eject the shell.

An adapter constructed in accordance with the present invention not only permits the use of the .22 short caliber cartridges, but also provides 1 means for properly ejecting the empty shell, even though the slide moves rearwardly upon recoil only one-half its full distance. The adapter of the present invention may be readily inserted into the standard magazine, which, as aforesaid, is designed only for .22 long rifle cartridges, and can, with equal facility, be removed from the magazine, without the alteration of, or damage to, any of the standard parts. Thus, the conversion unit of the present invention permits the owner of such a pistol to enjoy target practice with .22 short cartridges, which are considerably less expensive than are the .22 long rifle cartridges, although their power is sufiicient for all target purposes. In addition to this lower cost, there are the further factors of less recoil and a quieter report, which also contribute to target practice enjoyment.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a conversion unit for cartridge magazines which eiiectively positions the short cartridges in a forward rather than rearward position in the magazine, thus placing them where they can be effectively moved into firing position in the barrel.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be hereinafter pointed out or will become apparent as the specification proceeds.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a cartridge magazine embodying the conversion unit or adapter of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the opposite side of the magazine shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken through the magazine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a broken vertical section similar to Fig. 3, but showing additional details of construction.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the magazine equipped with the conversion unit.

Fig. 6 is an exploded view of the upper sections of the two plates which form the conversion unit.

Fig. '7 is a broken vertical section taken on line 'l! of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a transverse section taken on 8-8 of Fig. 3.

The magazine [0 is of the usual construction, and is formed over a portion of its length with elongated recesses ll forming internal flanges, which confine a follower spring [2 to the forward end of the magazine. The rear wall is recessed inwardly, as shown at l3. At its lower end, the magazine is formed with a foot 14 which limits upward movement of the magazine in the grip of the gun, and also serves as means for withdrawing the magazine from the grip. This foot also forms the lower wall of the magazine. At its upper end, the magazine is provided with a plurality of spaced, downwardly-extending, cut-out portions forming a pair of intermediate fingers 15 which are disposed slightly inwardly at their upper ends, as shown particularly in Fig. 5. At the rear of the upper edge of the magazine, the walls are also converged inwardly, as shown at It, and such inwardly-converging walls l5 and IE tend to confine the cartridge within the magazine and permit egress of the cartridge only by forward movement when so moved by the slide of the gun.

The magazine is further provided with a follower l! which is usually stamped from sheet metal, and is provided on its forward edge with a portion 18 circular in transverse section, the lower edge IQ of which is engaged by spring l2. The rear portion 20 of the follower comprises two thicknesses of the metal, as shown in Fig. 5, and extends below edge l9. At its lower end, the follower is formed with outwardly-extending lugs 2| which keep the follower aligned in central position. One wall of the magazine is formed with line an elongated slot 23, which receives a pin 24 passing through aperture 25 in the follower, which permits the follower to be manually moved downwardly against the compression of the spring as the cartridges are loaded into the magazine. The

magazine just described is conventional and forms no part of the present invention.

The conversion unit of the present invention comprises two elongated plates 28 and 29 which are inserted in the magazine. Plate 28 is provided at its lower end with a foot 30 having a narrowed forward portion 3|, as shown in Fig. 8, to permit the foot to pass downwardly between recesse Plate 28 is permanently secured, as by means of welding, to the foot. The plate and the foot may also be formed integrally. The foot is further formed with a recess 3| which receives the lower end of plate 29. Such plate 29 is further formed with projections 32 and 33 on opposite sides thereof to limit downward movement of such plate in reces 3|. The reason why it is necessary to provide two disengageable plates 28 and 29, rather than a single element, is that the rear edge of the standard follower extends and engages rear wall |3 of the magazine, and plates 28 and 29 are accordingly disposed on opposite sides of this section of the follower to permit the follower to move freely upwardly and downwardly. Also, if the adapter were not in two parts, it could not'be installed, due to the bottleneck structure of the magazine.

At it upper end, plate 28 is formed with a projection 35 to effectively space the plate from the rear wall I3 of the magazine, which is necessary in order to permit lateral extensions 2| of the follower to move freel upwardly and downwardly. Plate 28 is spaced at its lower end from such rear wall |3 by means of a projecting portion 38 of foot 39. At its upper end, plate 28 is formed with a horizontal extension 39 terminating in an upwardly-extending, substantially U shaped portion 49 which receives the upper edge N3 of the magazine on the left-hand side of such upper edge, when viewed as in Fig. 7. Inasmuch as this upper edge is inclined upwardly and forwardly, such extension 40 is likewise upwardly and forwardly inclined.

The lower end of plate 29 is spaced from rear wall |3 of the magazine due to its positioning within recess 3|. At its upper end, it is maintained in this spaced relation by means of a projection 63. The upper edge of plate 29 is formed with a recess 45 which receives the lower edge of horizontal portion 39 of plate 28, thu locking the upper end of plate 29 in place. Plates 28 and 29 are generally rectangular in transverse section, but are provided on their forward edges with a bevelled portion 48 which tends to center the cartridges as they are moved upwardly.

When the conversion unit of the present invention is to be positioned in the magazine, pin 24 on the follower is first removed, the follower and the spring taken from the magazine, and plate 28 then inserted within the magazine and moved downwardly. Before it reaches its lowermost position, however, the spring l2 and the follower ll are inserted into the magazine, and the three elements, plate 28, follower l1, and spring l2, moved downwardly. Next, plate 29 is moved into the magazine and moved downwardly until its lower terminal is positioned within recess 3| in foot 39. Inasmuch as the lower end of plate 29 cannot be manually grasped for the purpose of moving it into this recess, its movement is aided by inserting a small tool, such as a screw driver, through horizontal portion 39 of plate 28. Pin 24 is now replaced in aperture 25, and the unit is ready for use. The short cartridges, designated as 50, may then be moved into the magazine in the usual manner, and such cartridges occupy the position shown in Fig. 4.

It was earlier pointed out that when short cartridges are used, the recoil from such cartridges is not normally sufficient to move the automatic slide rearwardly a sufficient distance to permit the regular ejector to throw out the spent shells. The forward edge 5| of U shaped portion 49 is substantially vertical, and such forward edge acts as an ejector for the spent shell during its rearward movement.

In employing the conversion unit of the present invention, it is not necessary to make any change in the pistol or rifle, providing of course, that the recoil springs are not so heavy as to prevent appreciable retractive movement of the slide upon detonation of the cartridge. In some cases, however, it may be necessary to remove the recoil and hammer springs, and to substitute somewhat weaker springs, in order that the automatic function of the gun will not be impaired through the'use of the short cartridges.

While one form or embodiment of the invention has been shown and described herein fo illustrative purposes, and the construction and arrangement incidental to a specific application thereof have been disclosed and discussed in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is limited neither to the mere details or relative arrangement of parts, nor to its specific embodiment shown herein, but that extensive deviations from the illustrated form or embodiment of the invention may be made Without departing from the principles thereof. I

What I claim is:

1. A conversion unit for long cartridge magazines to permit short cartridges to be utilized therewith, the magazine being provided with a spring-pressed follower, said unit comprising a pair of spaced plates adapted to be positioned in the magazine and disposed on opposite sides of the follower, means for interconnecting the lower terminals of the plates in fixed spaced relationship, the first plate being provided at its upper end with a transverse extension to engage one upper edge of the magazine, and means for interlocking the upper end of the second plate with such extension.

2. The combination of a magazine fo long cartridges and a conversion unit therefor to permit short cartridges to be utilized therewith, the magazine being provided with a spring-pressed follower, said unit comprising a pair of spaced plates positioned at the rea of the magazine and disposed on opposite sides of the follower, a foot carried by one of the plates and shaped generally to fit the base of the magazine, such foot having a recess therein to receive the lower terminal of the second plate, the first plate being provided at its upper end with a transverse extension which engages one upper edge of the magazine, and means fo interlocking the upper end of the second plate with such extension.

3. A conversion unit for long cartridge magazines to permit short cartridges to be utilized therewith, the magazine being provided with a spring-pressed follower, said unit comprising a pair of spaced plates adapted to be positioned at the rear of the magazine and disposed on opposite sides of the follower, the forward faces of the plates being adapted to be engaged by the rear edges of the short cartridges, a foot carried by one of the plates and having a recess therein to receive the lower terminal of the second plate, the first plate being provided at its upper end with a transverse extension to engage one upper edge of the magazine and forming a supplemental ejector for the short cartridges, and means for interlocking the upper end of the second plate with such extension.

4. An adapter unit for long cartridge magazines to permit short cartridges to be utilized, such unit comprising a pair of paced plates adapted to be disposed longitudinally of the magazine at the rear thereof to engage the rear end walls of the cartridges, a foot plate carried at the lower end of the first plate, the foot plat having means for receiving and supporting the lowe terminal of the second plate, and means at the upper terminal of the first plate adapted for securement to the upper edge of the magazine and to the upper terminal of the second plate.

5. An adapter unit for long cartridge magazines to permit short cartridges to be utilized, such unit comprising a pair of spaced plates adapted to be disposed longitudinally of the magazine at the rear thereof to engage the rear end walls of the cartridges, a foot carried at the lower end of one of the plates and having a recess which receives the lower terminal of the other plate, the first-mentioned plate being provided with an upper extension to receive the upper edge of the magazine, and means for locking the upper terminal of the second plate to the upper extension.

6. The combination of a magazine for long cartridges and an adapter unit to permit short cartridges to be utilized therewith, such unit comprising a pair of spaced plates disposed longitudinally of the magazine adjacent to the rear there-- of to engage the rear end Walls of the cartridges, means carried by the plates to space them from the back wall of the magazine, a foot carried at 

